Secret of The Secrets
by M4dG4rl
Summary: Set after SoTS. He has always been watching her, dreaming of being her friend since he was a kid. But he is nothing while she is something special. As she's being helpless, he is the only one to be her helper. A few hours pass, leaving a beautiful memory they will never forget until they're on the same level. [A collab with 3431jess, #KFPFRIEND16]


_"Who knows the way of the universe._

 _When and where the rain drops may fall._

 _How strong the wind will blow._

 _Is it all just an accident?_

 _...Or could it be...destiny?"_

 _Narrated by Oogway - Secret of Scroll_

 _._

 **A Kung Fu Panda Fanfic**

 **-Secret of The Sceret-**

 **by : M4dG4rl and 3431jess**

 **Disclaimer : KFP belongs to Dreamworks**

 ** _._**

* * *

 _Under the power of the universe, fate has designed a beautiful encounter, whether we shall meet a someone, may be reunited with a long lost kin, maybe make a friend…. and many other possibilities._

 _Separation and reunion, friends and adversaries, tears and joy would come to pass, but their engraved memories will be a firm reminder, that some people come into your life to go, and some to stay._

 _Destiny would choose your beginning, but it's up to you to decide the end._

 **.**

 **~0~0~Prologue~0~0~**

 **.**

"Dad ..." a little shrill voice was heard from upstairs, followed by unexplainable loud creaks of the wooden floor being pressed by an immense weight.

Felt alarmed, Mr. Ping left his cooking right away to dash upstairs, right where his son's room was. After living under the same roof with the panda for five years, a loud thud could mean his five-year-old kid probably fell accidentally from his bed and was not able to get up anymore.

"Po, are you okay?!" Mr. Ping's eyes surveyed the room in a panic, only to find a roly-poly panda cub that was sticking out half of his upper body from the window. His two round feet dangled distance away off the floor and paws rested on the window sill while his head poking outside precariously. His enthusiastic jade eyes innocently staring down the street in front of the entrance of his dad's shop. An exuberant smile beaming from his face.

"Son, what are you doing?! You'll fall!" His wings abruptly coiled around the panda's round waist as he employed all his strength to pull him backward. With a few laborious grunting, pulling and heaving, his son was finally dragged down into safety. Unfortunately, his son weight fell and squashed the feathery body of his father.

"AK! Ouch, my back!" The goose yelp as his face contorted in agony.

"Daddy ... daddy ... look!" the little panda excitedly pulled his dad's wing, zealously assisting him to stand up. "Look down there!" Dismissing his father's pained face, the panda voice still laced with intense excitement as he pointed his paw outside the window.

Mr. Ping placed one of his wings at the small of his spine, it made a modest cracking sound as he bent it backward.

 _Ahhh… so much better._ He gushed in relief. That symphonic sound had made his back felt a lot better.

After receiving the immediate remedy to his 'panda injury', Mr. Ping craned his neck and watched where his son's index finger was directing at through the window.

"Look! Look!" The boy eagerly referred a spot down there. "What's that, Daddy?"

Mr. Ping squinted his eyes for a better view, panned his sight meticulously interrogating all assortment of rambunctious animals beyond the restaurant courtyard. There were some pigs, geese, and bunnies in a variety of ages and sizes, striding aimlessly passing his shop. Nothing seemed to be unusual worth mentioning.

Part of him was convinced that Po was merely showcasing his knowledge of various living creatures he had taught him before. But wait! Approximately a stone throw away from the restaurant archway, there was something…correction, he meant _someone_... yes, someone with a small stature and a pair of massive ears. His tiny figure wrapped with an opulent looking green robe, walking solemnly past the villagers, who then immediately bowed their heads as they addressed him respectfully.

"That's Master Shifu," His dad told him without tearing his gaze from the diminutive figure in question. "He's a red panda; one of the most respected Kung Fu Masters in all of China. I heard that he visited an orphanage quite frequently. It's the first time you see him, Son?"

Po nodded absently. His green eyes still dilated with amazement, and mouth gaping in astonishment. He had never heard or see a red panda before.

"If he is a panda… why he is so different from me?" The little panda riposted curiously.

"Well, red panda and giant panda are quite different…" mused for a minute to find a simple yet clever metaphor to explain without confused the cub further."...it's like a dragonfly and a dragon… their name sounded similar, but in reality, they are very much different creature."

Po dipped his head as a sign he agreed fully with a witty comeback.

"And what's _that_ behind him?" he asked again, creases began to form on his forehead as he futilely squeezed his brain for extra information, "is that a red panda too?"

As the crowds of the villagers that surrounded Shifu started to disperse, noticed the appearance of the second rare creature trailing closely behind the Kung Fu Master.

She was a little girl, probably a few years older than Po. The cub was nearly as tall as Shifu, wearing a black slack combined with dark red vest, that exposed her beautiful auburn pelt with contrasting black stripes painted in between. He straight away knew what kind of animal she was.

"A tiger," muttered Mr. Ping, his withered brows raised in surprise. He had never seen a south China Tiger in Valley of Peace of nearby proximity all his life. "Look like Master Shifu hasn't given up yet to raise a feline. He never learns from the past." He commented offhandedly.

Po looked at his dad, confused. "A tiger?" he asked.

"Yes. And I'm sure she's gonna be a kung fu master in the future." He shook his head haltingly, pressing his beak following a little despondent frown. "Let's hope there's not going to be a second Tai Lung." He expelled a loud explosive sigh, building a virtual hope within him that the diminutive Master would eventually learn from his past error and raised the tiger to bloom into her full, positive potential without turning her into a monster.

While Po, he was obviously absorbed in his own world. For the first time, he saw someone similar to his height… someone that potentially would be able to counter his strength, well…. he won't make a remark about his size, no one would ever come close to have a belly as ample as his. Nonetheless, this was as good as it got, Po could not help but to feel giddy at the prospect of having a friend who wasn't as microscopic and delicate as many others.

"Woah ..." Po's exuberant glance returned to the street, as his mind drifted into an impossible fantasy of him and the feline doing something cool together. Maybe he could be her assistance? Cheering her while she fought the thousands of bandits, being her dependable partner that would cook for her ―after all, every hero still needed a nutritional intake, don't they? Or maybe accompany her plowing through dangerous missions. Man, wouldn't that be awesome?!

He could see the red panda master and that little girl were now ascending the Thousands Stairs that would lead them to the Jade Palace. Unwittingly, he spewed out his mind, "Dad, can I play with her?"

Mr. Ping laughed; he stroke his son's head gently. It's not the first nor, Mr. Ping presumed, the last same question his son would ask him every time a kid at his age heaved into sight. He knew that Po had always built a castle in the air of making a lot of friends, but so far, due to his 'unfortunate' appearance (which most kids thought it was weird to see a large monochromatic tubby creature) he had none but his father. Admittedly, Mr. Ping himself was always stung by their mockery aiming at his beloved Po.

"I'm afraid you can't, Son." The old goose voiced dropped as his mood turned somber. He knew his rejection broke his son's spirit, no matter how little the matter seemed to weigh.

"Why?" Po whimpered, looking at his Dad to dig up more logical explanation from his unwarranted refusal.

"Well …because..." his father trailed off, trying to come up with a plain statement which easily could be digested by his simple five-year-old mind. "...because she's different. Her future has been prepared for something big." He stated simply.

"Huh?" He punctuated, completely bewildered. _Why would she be different?_

"You see that building?" Mr. Ping's wing motioned towards a large building sitting atop a hill from a distance.

The little panda cocked his head to the side. "The Jade Palace?" his dad nodded as he hummed a note of agreement.

"Is that her house?" Po asked incredulously.

"Yes. And that's a place where all honorable Kung Fu Masters live, eat and train… day in day out. The best warriors who always keep our valley safe and sound are born and made right there." The goose explained patiently, "She'll be trained hard and spend all her entire life only for kung fu to be our future protectors. She won't have time to set her foot outside the Jade Palace except when danger comes." He smiled.

His explication served as a devastating news to the lonesome panda. His initial resplendent countenance bore no evidence of its previous feat but instead, turning somber and mirthless. Upon realizing his son's thunderous expression, quickly cheered him up, "...but you can always play with me here, right?" He tickled him earnestly, causing the little panda to giggle profusely and roll all over the floor like a mindless retard.

"Well then, how about you come with me to the kitchen and I'll teach you how to cook?"

"Yay!" Struggling with his own fat belly, the panda forced himself to get to his feet. Hopping happily down the stairs, more questions were fired by the inquisitive panda, which Mr. Ping answered rather bluntly.

"Dad, can I learn Kung Fu?"

"Why would you want that?"

"So I can play with that tiger."

"Playing with someone who has claws and fangs is not safe, Po."

"But she's so cute."

"She will not be any more in the next ten years."

 **.**

 **~0~0~SToS~0~0~**

 **.**

Ten years later,

A pair of short and stubby feet walked briskly hither and thither, as fast as his steps could carry him. His distended stomach, bounced in every second as his toes trodden the ground. After having a laborious sprint for approximately tens of kilometers away, that panda halted; puffing and heaving from lacking precious oxygen. His jade irises scanned around bamboo forest meticulously.

' _Where's she. Where's she?'_ he pondered to himself.

Just several minutes ago, a robbery occurred at his dad's shop, committed by a trio of mountain cats, which apparently were not the resident of the Valley of Peace. Those vicious fugitives surely would have seized his dad's properties if _that girl_ along with _her friends_ didn't come on time to their rescue. Previously, Po once had witnessed from a distance, how incredible these bunch of cool warriors were when they fought against a giant felon called Master Boar.

Now, he wished to watch it up close.

Those bandits had dispersed and absconded successfully from the sight of Shifu's students. But the five skilled Kung Fu apprentices would never let them went away that easily. The crane and the snake were in hot pursuit on one of the escaped criminals, running towards Weeping River. The monkey and the praying mantis quested after another to the farm. And the tiger, alone, hunted down the last bandit to the deep obscurity of Bamboo Forest.

Couldn't get enough of the show fight, he followed them. The location of Weeping River and the farmland were too far from his home. Still wearing an apron around his waist, he decided to tail the tiger towards the bamboo forest. Witnessing a fight one on one indeed was much more exciting than two against one.

Alas for Po, since he was not born to run fast, he lost her.

A cold drip hit his head. He tilted his head upward. Heavy black clouds were hovering over the daytime sky, obscuring the warmth of the sun. Eventually, the sky floodgate seemed to open, sending rivulets of water gushing zealously from heaven.

Thinking that he would be soaked in no time, the panda was about to turn around and put off his intention, however, unwittingly his ears caught an audible small groan. He froze on his track, sharpening his hearings. A few seconds later, that whimper returned, accompanied by a painful grunt. Po picked up his pace while his eyes scanning scrupulously for the source of that sound. For a moment, completely disregarding the driving rain that drenched his fur, Po carefully followed a wet pathway. He found what he was seeking.

Behind the cover of the thick bamboo grove, the panda hid himself. The tiger was about five meters away from him. Her back leaned on one of the bamboos. One of her legs knelt down. Po wasn't a master of stealth, in fact, quite the opposite. But the tiger master seemed quite oblivious to his presence, which quite astonishing until Po noticed a serious gaping laceration on her left knee which robbed her entire attention.

She was trying to nurse her injury while keeping the pain at bay, but the evidence of agony on her face was hard to ignore. Maybe she was trying to go home or find some help, Po speculated in his mind. Witnessing the tiger's ordeal and her being cold in the rain, the thought of offering his help obviously crossed his mind.

 _But ... what if she refuses my help?_

For a split second, Po hesitated.

She was Tigress; the future Kung Fu Master of the Jade Palace; the prized student of Master Shifu, the epitome of perfection that he was really proud of...not that grumpy red panda ever said so, but that what Po had gathered. Anyway, Po had been following her progress since the first time she vanquished the formidable Master Boar with her amazing improvisation of kung fu style mere months ago.

His sudden astonishment soon turned into admiration and later on transformed into a real hero-worship attitude. He had been faithfully had watched her, along with her friends, fight bandits, collecting all sort of posters of them, reading every single news about their unrivaled bravery, and following the progress of their serious training. As a big fan, Po had long wanted to talk to her but never had courage and chance to do it. Everyone in the valley had been talking about the possibility of her being the pride of China.

 _By now, she must be able to take on five boars at once by herself so a little wound in the leg probably was nothing to her._ Po mused as he turned to leave, but again, as if ordained by divine intervention, he was again stopped on his track.

"Ouch!"

The groan was soon followed by a thud. The moment Po looked over his shoulder, his eyes widened in surprise.

That tiger had collapsed. Her body went limp and crashed onto the ground. Apparently, she just attempted to test the limiting movement on her injured leg but the inflicting pain obviously overcame her. Now, she likely was not able to walk home while the pouring rain was getting cold.

Po was startled. Without having a second thought, he dashed to the tiger's aid. "A-are you alright?" He stammered apprehensively but offering his paws nonetheless.

Tigress looked up following the source of that kind yet anxious voice. A concerned face of a round monochromatic figure she had never seen before was there before her. A panda; bending down to lend a paw.

"I—I'm just fine," answered Tigress vaguely. Frankly speaking, she knew she needed some assistance, even when it was merely a paw. But her pride and dignity prevented her from accepting the help she desperately needed. She made a futile attempt to get to her feet by herself, supported by a bamboo stick. A great pain assailed her without warning, causing her to flop down, wincing in pain.

The panda was still there, with the same expression. "You need help?"

Tigress observed her bleeding abrasion. Indeed, she required someone to take her back to the Jade Palace. So, she swallowed her pride and admit defeat, "Yes. Could you please find my friends?" she asked politely. "Oh, no… wait, they may still be busy dealing with those bandits. Please fetch a doctor, would you?"

"Uh ...I'd like to, but ... no doctor will come when it's raining," Po stated while sweeping his gaze upon the sky which still profusely tipping its content to the earth.

Tigress clucked her tongue with a limp. "Oh, you're right."

' _Amber,'_ that whisper escaped his lips unwittingly as he meticulously scrutinized the girl's dazzling eyes.

"Pardon?" Tigress' question brought him back into reality. She looked at him with her nonplussed expression.

Her lustrous voice snapper Po out of his reverie. Realising he had left the word slipped, he racked his brain to find logical excuses, however instead, he stammered incoherently, "Oh, Uh ...n-no," Thankfully he quickly regained control of himself. "By the way, we gotta find something to relieve the pain in your leg," he straightened. "Wait here. I'll be back soon. I promise."

The panda walked off. Tigress raised an eyebrow in puzzlement.

 _What a strange panda._

Raindrops drenched her wound. She covered it with her paw but it didn't help much.

At a time like this, she wondered if her comrades had completed their mission with the bandits.

 _What takes them so long? Are they looking for me?_

Her thought wandered back to several minutes ago.

The bandit she fought was not much stronger than her. Initially, she speculated that arresting and sending the perpetrator to a jail was a piece of cake, and her overconfidence eventually caused her to underestimate the ability of her opponent, hence the failure to defeat them. By the time that mountain cat was pinned down, Tigress was completely oblivious of the threatening blade until it had torn the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee.

One lesson she got today; do not ever be light-headed although the victory is within your reach.

"I'm back!" She heard a familiar jovial voice. The panda had returned with some herbals in within his grips. He put them into his mouth, chewed and spit them in his paw.

"My dad told me that this was a way to handle open wound treatment," he explained as he carefully cleaned her wound, and skilfully placed the cud on the lesion. He then ripped his apron into strips and bandaged her knee, which had the herbals compress embedded within the wrapping.

Tigress oversaw the panda's way at treating her wound in silence.

 _He was actually very knowledgeable… and very…. kind._

"Done," the panda pulled away from her and smiled contentedly at his work.

Tigress moved her leg slowly. That pain hadn't been gone but it the herbal has numbed a great deal of the pain. Now, at least she could stand.

"Thanks," she returned the smile.

A sound of lightning strokes, startling both of them.

"You better go home now," Tigress advised him, feeling somewhat she had wasted enough of his time.

"But you –"

"Will just be fine. Really." Tigress interjected resolutely.

But Po noticed that tiger was wrapping her arms around her body and shivering violently. Sure enough, in this kind of weather, being exposed to the element of nature was adequate to make a _fluffy_ panda feel cold, let alone a cat… which by designed have less amount of _'awesomeness'_ to protect her from the frigid wind. Not forgetting the fact she awfully soaked for hours in the rain.

"I saw a hut over there when I was collecting herbals. It's not far from here," Po offered with a slight reluctance. He felt that the tiger needed help, but he didn't want to sound forcing the idea remembering both of them are practically strangers to each other.

For seconds, Tigress struggled with her own thought. Being a cat, she had always hated rain. It caused her fur become soggy, heavy and despicably cold. Taking shelter under a roof sounded like a good idea. But considering how she would get there made her think twice. Going there by herself obviously was not easy. She must crawled and it would be an extremely time-consuming process. Besides, she didn't know where that hut was located.

But that panda knew where and he was willing to help after all.

 _No, no, no._ Tigress brushed off that thought. She would never let anyone touch her, besides she only knew him from less than an hour ago. She risked a quick glance at the panda, briskly gauging his intent. She couldn't find any evidence of malice in his feature, in fact, quite contrary, he appeared sincere and…. naive.

A prolonged silence followed as Tigress looked closely at the panda. "Could you take me there?"

Tigress got her answer almost the time she just finished her question. "Sure. I'll be your feet." A big goofy grin accompanied his retort.

Po wrapped an arm around her legs and put another one to support her back. The panda picked her up and cradled her in his arms, carrying her to the haven he mentioned, cutting across the rain shower.

Tigress' cheek was almost pressing against the panda's furry chest. Her stomach lurched. Never before had she been this close to her opposite sex before, not even to Shifu, Oogway, Crane, Monkey or even the tiny Mantis except when it came to training or fighting.

 _It's so ... soft and ... warm_ , she thought. The fluffy arms that were covering her body felt like the best blanket she ever had, protecting her very well. She didn't feel cold anymore. She blushed on her own thought, she just wished her auburn pelt hid it well… and this cheery, clueless panda won't even notice it.

It didn't take more than five minutes when they reached their destination.

"Well, we're here." The panda happily announced.

The hut was very simple. It consisted of a roof made of straw which was supported by four pillars made of wood at each vertex's, but the earthen floor was dry. Gently, Po deposited the feline on the ground. The tiger watched the panda blew on his paws and rubbed them together.

"It seems like the rain won't stop for a while," commented Po as he sat next to Tigress.

"Yes," Tigress replied shortly.

A long, pregnant silence filled the air; no words between them. Both stared at the rain, while their mind was clearly busy thinking about something else. The reverberating echo of the rain gushing from the sky to the roof and eventually the ground, followed by a sporadic blast of thunderbolts from afar were the only voices accompanied those two.

Po fixed a glance at the tiger. "Hey," he called softly, breaking up the silence. Tigress turned to him. "Thank you."

A frown formed between Tigress' brows. "What for?" She could not hide her confusion.

"For ... you know, saving my dad's shop from being robbed and ... for protecting our valley," Po uttered truthfully. A generous smile of gratitude began to form on his lips.

Those words made Tigress feel flattered, nonetheless, she concealed her emotion well. "It's my duty."

"That's the coolest duty I've ever seen. No, really!"

There was a chuckle. "Well, the truth is, since the first time I came to this village, I had vowed to myself that I would only dedicate myself only to someone I owed my happiness too."

"Master Shifu?"

"The best kung fu teacher of China." Then her face somehow became gloomy. "Very amazing."

"Like you." Po grinned exuberantly while praising his idol.

"What? Who….Me?" Tigress ventured, unconvinced.

Po nodded.

"No, no," Tigress shook her head expectantly. "I am one hundred years earlier to surpass my master. I ... may ...never be like him." She let a disgruntled sigh.

"Are you kidding me? You're great!" Po exclaimed in both giddiness and awe. Apparently, his fanboyish persona returned with no reluctance "I mean, you were really amazing... when you and your friends overpowered Master Boar," he stood and did some moves which he thought a kick and a punch.

"You did _this_ and _this_ , and then _this_ , kiiiiiyah, you jumped yataaahhh," he demonstrated with a feverish voice full of enthusiasm, "Oh….oh... I remember you dictated your friends _this_ , 'Twist your hip, recoil and extend -' Wooa –" Po righted himself as he almost slipped on a slippery ground. "And that was how that formidable boar had been defeated…. Isn't that truly awesome?"

"Hold a second! You were there?" Tigress asked in disbelief.

"Yeah ... actually, I was gathering vegetables not far from there when the most exciting part was underway." Po admitted, "I fell in love with kung fu since then… thanks to you." He performed a kick, only to trip over his own feet and fell accidently on his back. "Ouch!" He fell ungracefully.

Tigress snickered in amusement. "If you like kung fu, why don't you just come to the Jade Palace?" She suggested.

Po struggled against his belly to sitting up with great difficulty. "My dad told me that only special persons are allowed to stay at the Jade Palace."

"That's not right," Tigress denied. "I'll introduce you to Master Shifu if you'd like."

"Really?!" Po's lit up in like a firework.

"Yes. And with the size of your body, I'm sure you possess such a great strength power which gives you an advantage at fighting." Tigress smiled.

Po laughed awkwardly. "Hehehe ... but I can't," he said. "I'm just a ...commoner; a nobody….; a son of a noodle seller." He answered dejectedly.

"Well, you can't let such a thing be a hindrance for you from reaching your dream." Tigress encouraged him. "Kung Fu does not care who you are. Only hard work and discipline that count." And she lowered down her voice, "I was a nobody too…"

"You are?"

Tigress dipped her head in a weak nod. "I am an orphan… in fact, before Shifu came… no one wanted me." She expelled a heavy sigh, but hastily changed the mood of the conversation, "So, don't ever give up." She concluded.

Now Po knew why he really looked up to this tiger. She was not only great at kung fu, but she also cared for others without discrimination.

"You have a dream?" He asked her. Tigress raised her brows a little, letting her heart and mind answered his question.

"Yes," She answered firmly, with a voice of looked up into the overcast sky where droplets of rain were still falling. "I'm gonna be a dragon warrior."

"Wow!" Po gasped with admiration. The one next to him was not only a future kung fu master but more than that. She was the future legendary dragon warrior. "I'm sure you can." He smiled full of adoration.

"Thanks." Tigress smiled in return.

"When you're dragon warrior, no one dares mess up with our valley. Your name will be hailed all over China. Aw, Maaaan! I'm looking forward the day when Master Shifu announces you as the dragon warrior. I'll give you my loudest cheer." Po hooted and yelled pretending he was giving her the well-deserved fanfare.

Tigress beamed. "To be honest, I'm never seeking glory," she said, but stopping herself to conceal more information. She was not going to tell the panda the true reason of her dream to become dragon warrior. "I just ...want to prove that I deserve to be a great warrior China most proud of."

"But we're already proud of you. I mean, see how you and your friends drive away the wolves last week? Five on thirty yet you guys weren't undaunted by the huge amount of the bandits. It's a feather in your cap. I wish you'll get anything you want." Po said sincerely.

"Same goes for you too." Tigress rebutted.

For the next another seconds, the both only stared at each other. Jade met amber. Immersed in their own thought until none of the realized that the rain had just stopped.

...or when a crane landed before them. The avian cleared his throat loudly which in turn snapping the panda and the tiger from their mindless reverie.

"I didn't interrupt anything, did I?" the bird asked gingerly.

Tigress grinned. "Oh, Crane. I'm lucky you're here!"

"The others have returned to Jade Palace. Master Shifu asked me to look for you."

"I'm sorry, my leg is injured when I fought that bandit."

"Well, the brawl cost me a broken my wings. But Master Oogway healed them in an instant," he showed off his wings. "Come, I'll take you fly back to the palace and get your leg recover."

Po helped Tigress get up. They exchanged their last glance as a leave-taking was about to come.

"Thanks for your help," Tigress said as her paws held onto Crane's shoulder.

Po waved his hand. "Nah, it's nothing."

"Well, then I guess this is a goodbye."

Crane spread his wings, then with one flutter of wings, his body took off, taking the tiger which was hanging onto his skinny talons fly up to the overcast cloudy sky.

"Heeeey!" Po called out on the top of his voice before the kung fu students disappeared from his sight. "Can we meet again?"

As he just finished asking, his heart fluttered. Did _I just say it? Man! It's so embarrassing._

There was a faint respond from above. "Sure."

 _Yes!_ Po mentally jumped full of ecstasy. "Then I'll meet you again tomorrow, in the same place and at the same hour!"

At that time, the avian had already been too far until he became a spot among clouds. Po was not able to hear the second answer from the tiger but he was highly doubtless that she still could hear him.

By the time both the tiger and the avian almost reached the Jade Palace, a sudden realization occurred to Tigress, mouth agape in realization. She facepalmed as she set her feet on Hall of Warrior's terrace, regretting not knowing the name of her helper.

 _Dang Tigress, very clever indeed, You spent a few hour with him, not even asked his name?_ She reprimanded herself. She watched down the village from a distance with a smile. But... _we'll definitely meet again. Someday._

 **.**

 **~0~0~SoTS~0~0~**

 **.**

Too bad she could not keep her promise.

Po came to the bamboo forest the next day. He made up an excuse to his father that he had an important errand to run so he could sneak out during working hours. That panda purposely prepared a lot of dumplings and mooncakes in a picnic basket. Then a thought crossed his mind. _Is it gonna be a sort of a date? Geez Po, you are a nutcase, do you know that?_ He shook his head; giggled just to think of it.

Po put his basket as he arrived at the hut. It was a half hour earlier than it had been agreed so he waited.

And waited …

And waited …

Two hours had passed without any significant events. The black-striped girl had not shown yet.

 _Or maybe I'm waiting in the wrong place?_ Thought Po. _Of course!_ They had promised to converge in the place they had first met and this hut definitely was not the said place.

 _Oh, silly!_ He cursed himself as he scooted heading to the place where he had found her injured, not even remembering to bring his basket with him.

 _Dang, I've let her wait for two hours long!_ His mind was shadowed by an image of a tiger girl with a bored face waiting for a certain fool panda. He must apologize to her at once.

"Sorry, I am late – Huh?" His word of apology had fallen into an empty space. That place was deserted as well. He checked around, searching for a note or any sign of her presence.

Finally, it dawned on him. She had broken her promise. His shoulder sagged with disappointment. He must admit, though it hurt, that she was not coming. Or ...she might had waited about for hours vainly, expecting him to come and then thought that he did not come so she decided to go back to the Jade Palace ...perhaps?

Po's mind running through all possible scenario as he walked back to his dad's shop when the day was almost dark. As he passed through the entrance, a goose wearing a yellow robe ran across him. Suddenly he felt the urge to ask.

"Hey," Po stopped him. "You're from the Jade Palace, right?"

"Yes," the customer replied shortly in rush. It seemed like he was in a hurry to leave.

"Can I ask something?" Po said almost pleading.

"Make it quick. I still have a lot on my plate." The goose answered a voice lacking of patience.

"Is Tigress okay? I mean – I and she were –"

"She and the other four are not here. Master Shifu sent them last night for a sudden mission in Hua Xi Village." The goose interjected, nonetheless giving him all the information he needed.

 _Ah ... so that's why she didn't come._ Po thought, completely relieved. "When will they come back?"

The goose shrugged. "I don't know. It's a tough mission. Maybe never."

Po frowned incredulously."But her leg is still injured. How could Master Shifu entrust her to –"

"I don't know, Okay?" The goose cut him off rather insolently, "Listen, I'm a bit of hurry now and have to get back to the Jade Palace on time or else Master Shifu will scold me." With an exasperated smile, that goose was off.

 **.**

 **~0~0~SoTS~0~0~**

 **.**

It turned out that Po didn't need to lay in wait till kingdom came. A week later, the news of a sweet victory of Shifu's mighty five students, who had just completed their first great mission, was received and spreading across China. Po became enthusiastic knowing his desire to see his idol would come true again.

Unfortunately, what he had envisioned was in contrast to the fact.

"Emergency! The valley is under attack!"

"Run!"

When most terrified villagers ran for their lives in panic as a raid took place, Po took steps conversely. Instead of hiding or evacuating to save his skin like the shrieking huddled carrying their valuables in a bundle, he rushed in an opposite direction, dashing into the crime scene; a place occupied by the chaos. Sounds like a type of a person looking for danger, yet that's the only way so he was able to see them.

Or to be precise, to see _her_. He was determined to see and talk to his idol again. Well, that was true he got to meet Tigress that way. Only…..it was not like he imaged it would be.

"Ki yah!"

"He yah!"

She looked ... very different. Yes, she was still as pretty, bodacious and awesome as he remembered her. Still as agile and strong as she used to be. But her warmhearted smile, her amiable face, and the dazzling warmness in her sunset eyes were gone. And her joyful laughter was never heard anymore, replaced by steely facade and forceful exclamations.

"I warn you for the last time!" He paid attention as she commanded with brazen voice. The black and blue bandits were begging for mercy. "Leave now and never come back!"

The bandit leader trembled with fear. "W-we won't."

And Po had never had an opportunity to talk to her anymore. Tigress rarely came down to the village except when a warning bell was rung. When the bandits were off, Po would take a deep breath and intended to address his heroes, yet as his gaze met theirs, he got cold feet. As he watched her in a distance, he mulled over his father's word.

 _I guess my dad was right._

.

Years had passed.

.

All villagers were gathering around at Palace Arena to attend an inauguration ceremony when Master Shifu named his five students 'The Furious Five'; the now official protectors of China were announced. As the citizen of the Valley of Peace cheered and hailed to the warriors, Po savvied there was no hope to befriend her. Well, that's not a big deal. Let their first encounter always remain in his heart and became a beautiful memory he kept for himself. He even wondered if Tigress still remembered him. Since the beginning, he should've known that Tigress was too superior for him considering who he was. After all, he was no more than a commoner. She was a respectable protector while he was a defenseless villager needed protection.

They were not the same.

In fact, they were miles different.

" _Because she's different, Po."_ Was what his dad ever told him when he was a child _. "Her future has been prepared for something big."_

" _...that's a place where all honorable kung fu masters stay. The best warriors who always keep our valley safe and sound. She'll be trained hard and spend all her entire life only for kung fu to be our future protectors."_

" _Dad, can I learn Kung Fu?"_

" _Why would you want that?"_

" _So I can play with that tiger."_

" _Playing with someone who has claws and fangs is not safe, Po."_

" _But she's so cute."_

" _She will not be any more in the next ten years."_

However, that kind of discrimination never hindered Po from respecting her. She was the apple of his eyes under any condition – his most favorite hero among The Furious Five.

 **.**

 **~0~0~Epilogue~0~0~**

 **.**

"You don't belong here." She spat viciously, her eyes glowed in deep resentment.

"Ah, yes. This is your room." Registering her less than amuse tone, Po quickly excused himself in fear.

"I mean, you don't belong in the Jade Palace. You are a disgrace to kung fu and if you have any respect to who we are and what we do, you will be gone by morning." She said as she shut the door vehemently, leaving the panda being tongue-tied and stunned before her room.

His heart broke. Why would they hated him so much…. Moreover, why _she_ despised him so much.

"Big Fan." A half-hearted small shout was heard.

Tigress grumbled in frustration; her back rested on the door.

 _What came over me?_

She walked to her mattress; paw reached something from under the bed.

A blood-stained cloth.

She had been treasuring it as a memento from someone who had first believed that she would become the dragon warrior. As he landed in front of her this morning, she still recognized who he was though ten years had passed since their first meeting. She never tried to go to meet that panda anymore since all her attentions and life had put only into kung fu. Too much duties with protecting and defending valley she had to carry out. Furthermore, she had assumed that he might have forgotten her due to her broken promise.

Still, Tigress always remembered when he told her that he would give her his loudest cheer. Turns out, it was more than that. He voluntary lit up some unused fireworks when Master Oogway was about to aim his finger at her.

"But why?!" she asked that material under her breath furiously between gritted teeth. "Why are you crushing my dream instead?!"

With a growl of anger, that cloth was torn up by her claws.

.

.

.

 **~The End~**

* * *

A/N : So ... this is our first collab; written by **me** and **3431jess** (*whispers*She's amazing. Read her stories! They're all pretty awesome! Believe me).

Wish you love our story ;) Can't wait to see your respond ...

Oh, and remember that #KFPFRIEND16 will end at the end of this month. It's still not late if you still want to publish more stories of yours ;)


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